Stanchion switch



March 7, 1933. A. F. PAVULH 1,900,193

STANCHION SWITCH Filed July 2 9; 1931 INVENTOR Abram F Paul ./5 By hiATI'ORNEYQ Patented 7, 1933 mm STATES PATENT orrlca I. PAUL, 01'rnmflvama, ASSIGNOB '10 NATIONAL PNEU- n'l'IO 001mm, 01' nw YORK, I. 1.,A OOMOBATIOH OIYW'IISTJVIBGINIA s'rmomox swr'rcn relative location ofApplication fled July 88, 1081. Serial Io. 558,757.

J This invention involves a novel form 0 switch structure.

The general objectof this invention is to provide an electric switchstructure for use on vehicles as a safety device to prevent the doorfrom closing on passengers and also as a substitute for the so-calledtreadle switch as now'employed on street cars, buses and the like.

One of the objects of this invention is to rcvide a relatively simpleswitch structure in the form of a stanchion tobe placed near the'exitways of vehicles in a position so that it will naturally be grasped bthe passengers desiring to leave the ve icle and, hence, d' laced tocomplete an electric circuit to c act the opening of the exit doors ofthe vehicle.

This switch may also be used in connection with the safety interlockdevices so that when it is closed the vehicle power is cut oif and thebrakes applied so that it can not be started until the switch has beenreleased. It may also be employed in a suitable signal circuit to notifythe operator that a passenger is leaving the exit door.

These and other objects as will appear from the following disclosure aresecured by means of this invention.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction,arrangement and parts in accordance with the iollowing disclosure.

' Referring to the drawing The single figure is a verticalcross-sectional view with a portion of the stanchion broken away of thedevice of the invention.

It is modern practice on transportation vehicles such as street cars andbuses, for

example, to mount a so-cailed treadleswitch in the exit passage-way ofthe vehicles adjacent the exit doors so that when the vehicle is broughtto a stop and the exiting pamengers are standing adjacent the exit doorsthey must step upon the treadle which operates the treadle switch. Thusas soon as the vehicle is brought to a ate the closed switch completescircuit to the cor control apparatus for the door operating members sothat the doors openautomatically. The present invention involves aswitch having similar functions and made up'and forming part of astanchion or post which may be mounted adjacent to or in the. passagewayto'the exit doors. The passenger or passengers who -desire to leave thevehicle naturally grasp the stanchion to steady themselves with theresult that it is displaced, closing the switch which forms a partthereof to effect the opening, of the doors when the vehicle is broughtto a stop.

Referring to the drawing, the device comprises a plate or fixture 1 tobe secured to the vehicle at any desired point, as on the ceilingthereof. This fixture is provided with a cover plate 2 together withwhich 'a spherical recess is formed. Within this spherical recess issecured a ball shaped member 3 having an integral internally threadedcollar 5. This member is provided with a central longitudinal bore 4 asshown. A hollow rod or pipe 6 externally threaded at its upper end issecured to the ball shaped member as shown and, hence, de nds from thesocket in a manner so as to e displaceable in any direction, thisconstruction providing in effeet a universal coupling or joint. Securedwithin the tube 6 near the lower end is a cylindrical block ofinsulating material 7 suitably formed and held therein by means of theset screws 11. Secured in the insulating block is a rod or bolt 8 to thelower end of which is secured a tightly wound bronze spring terminatingat the lower end in a bronze ball 10. Secured to the upper end of therod or bolt 8 is an electrical connecting fixture 12 by means of whichthe conductor 13 is electrically connected to the rod 8,

spring 9 and ball 10. The conductor 13 extends up through the device andissues from so as to enclose the parts while permitting 10 relativemovement thereof. The other circuit wire is attached to the rin contact16 and that wire (not shown) toget er with the wire 13 extend to thecontrol apparatus for the door operating members. This deviceis 15mounted in the-passageway adjacent the exit doors so that exitingpassengers may grasp f it as a natural impulse to steady themselvesand,--hence, displace the stanchion rods and the {arts mounted thereonagainstthe action so of t e s I I tact 10 mto engagement with the ringcontact 16 regardless of the direction in which the stanchion is pushed.As soon as pressure is removed from the stanchion rod the spring fingers18 move the ball contact out of en-.

gagement with the ring contact and move a the parts to their normalcentral position as shown in the figure. The spring .9 is, of course,provided to permit continued move- 8o ment of the stanchion rod afterthe ball con- 7 tact engages the ring contact. The transverse movementof the tubular stanphion 6 is lowered by the annular verticallyextending rilig forming art of the floor plate.

om the a ove disclosure it will be a parent that my invention involvescertam novel features which may be embodied in 'otherphysicalconstructions and I do not, therefore, desire to be strictly limitedto'the 4Q disclosure as'given in an illustrative sense but rather to thescope of the appended Claims.

It is, of course, at once ap arent that this device is not limited to aorm where the stanchion is mounted vertically with the roof and floorplates disposed one above the other. The device could be mounted so thatthe stanchion rod extends horizontally or, in fact, in any direction, itonly being necessa have the spring fingers 18 strong enoug to center thedevice when no pressure'is applied thereto.

What I seek to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A combined stanchion and switch for vehicles, comprising a roofplate, a hand grasp tube, means for securing the upper end of the tubeto the roof plate to permit transverse movement of the lower end of thetube in any direction, a resiliently mounted contact secured to thetube, a floor plate, a contact mounted on and insulatedfrom the floorplate in a position to be en ged b the first contact when the tube issplace resilient means for normally holding the conring fingers 18 tomove the ball contacts out of enent, and a protect' I of the tube,acontact mounted on the floor plate in a position to be engagedby thefirst contact, and resilient fingers mounted on the floor plate and eng'ng the free end of the tube to normally ho lg the contacts out ofengagement. v I a 3. A combined stanchionand switchcom prising a roofplate, a tube, a universal joint connecting means for uniting the tubeto'the 7 root plate, a contact member mounted on the tube near the lowerend, a floor plate to be mounted under the free end of the tube, acontact mounted on the floor plate in a position to be engaged by thefirst contact, resilient fingers mounted on the floor plate and on agingthefree end of the tube to normally protectin skirt mounted near-thefree end ho d the contacts out of engagement, and a of the tu e andsubstantially enclosing the end of the tube and the floor plate. 4. Aswitch structure as described, comprising a vertical stanchion tube,means for supporting the tube at one end to permit transverse movementof the other end of the tube in any direction, a contact mounted on thetube near its free end and insulated therefrom, a second contact mountedadjacent the first contact, means for normally holding the contacts outof engagement, and resilient fingers bearing on t e, free end of thetube gagement.

5. A switch structure as described, com-- prising a tube, means forsupporting one end of the tube to permit movement of the other end ofthe tube in any direction radially, a

contact resiliently mounted on the tube and insulated therefrom, meansincluding a contact in the form of a ring mounted so that the ringsurrounds the resiliently mounted contact, and resilient fingersengaging the free end of the tube for holding the contacts out ofengagement.

In testimon whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 22nd day ofJuly, A. D. 1931.

ABRAM F. PAUL.

for holding the contacts normally out of en- 9 i

